[DOE LETTERHEAD]
NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION
May 23, 2003
The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, N.W.
Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Ambassador Brooks has asked me
to respond to your March 25, 2003, letter regarding Software Quality Assurance
(SQA) deficiencies at the Pantex site.
We understand and concur with your position.
The enclosed two BWXT letters
outline actions to improve the SQA for the Integrated Electronic Procedures and
the Move Right System, including independent verification and validation
efforts. We have evaluated the actions
proposed and believe that they will address your concerns. We will keep your site representative
informed of BWXT’s progress in completing the actions of this plan and will
advise you of our assessment of their effectiveness after all actions are
complete. If actions have not been
completed by February 28, 2004, we will provide a status report and a revised
plan.
If you have any questions,
please contact me or have your staff contact Jeff Underwood at (301) 903-8303
or Steve Erhart at (806) 477-6150.
Sincerely,
Everet H. Beckner
Deputy Administrator
for Defense Programs
2 Enclosures
cc w/enclosures:
J. McConnell, DNFSB
W. Andrews, DNFSB
M. Whitaker, DR
D. Glenn, PXSO